When it comes to home repairs and upgrades, DON'T Do What I DO !

[G-Man]

Unless you want to pay to have it done twice.

Had steps built out of retaining wall block material and the installation was done wrong.  Every other year they have to be re-leveled and reset, now they are crumbling.  Builder showed up the first 2 years to fix them, then ignored me.

Had a deck buit out of the low maintenance composite materials.  The posts are now twisted and the rails weren't secured at the bottom because he didn't leave any room for the fasteners.  Went on line to product website and they have videos on how to build everything and this guy did everything wrong.  Called installer, never came back.

Had wallpaper installed on perfectly flat, primed walls.  6 months later, edges started spreading and lifting.  Called installer, never came back.

Had a sink installed.  He switched the hot and cold from one side to the other.

Had rooms painted and all the molding edges were painted with the field color.  I know, that's a little picky, but it's wrong.

I do as much as I can myself, but I do these things too infrequently to be good at them and get them done in a reasonable timeframe.  You hire people because they are supposed to be experts and do things right.  I've even done some homework and read reviews and drove by some of their previous projects (so they say).

Now I'm gun shy.

We need bathrooms and a kitchen.  We even refinanced property to pull out cash for the work.  But I'm frozen.  I've gotten estimates and they are so varied that I'm not even sure if they're for the same job.  And no matter what estimate they give, it always costs more.

Imagine if doctors conducted business like this!?!?!?!

[Jess from VA]

The only way to trust a repair-refurbish outfit is to get word of mouth that others you trust have used them and like them.  

I had a legal El Salvadoran contractor neighbor for many years (he moved a month ago, but I have his number).  Hey Julio, I need X fixed.  He gets back to me with the guy or guys that will do it right and reasonable and a phone number.

I was shaking his hand telling him he had been a great neighbor (we helped each other out many times), but I had never learned his last name.  He said:  You'll never remember my last name, and besides, I am getting a name change that will be good for my business.  My new name will be....Julio Carpenter.  

[Hook#3287]

G-man;

Sorry for your troubles.  Word of mouth is how I get my work, never advertised at all.

Visit some of the local building yards, not Home Depot or Lowes, but an honest to goodness "Lumber Yard".  Ask the counter people for a reference, they usually know the good guys.

Ask around from friends, relatives, people you know and trust for anyone they may know.

Ask for JOB references and contact site owners of past jobs from contractors suggested.  Ask your contractors for a list of their Sub-contractors and check them out.  Visit any sites your allowed to.

The time to do your homework is BEFORE a job is started so YOU know what is right and what is not.

Educate yourself about the products your going to by and use.

One of the best things an honest contractor can have is an educated customer that knows what they want.

[BF]

Do you know any real estate agents?

They usually have contacts that they'll know of and can recommend. 

[Oss]

westchester has a dept of consumer affairs

They license these guys and can pull it it need be

Oss

Yes  I PROMISE I will measure the seat tonite for the sheepskin
my bad

[Jess Tolbirt]

Angie's List

[BF]

It pays to have friends in the trades.  

I'm pretty lucky that way.  I have buddies in most any trade that I might need.  Auto repair, auto body and paint, A/C, building contractor, electrician and a good friend that's a real estate agent.  

Don't know any plumbers though or any auto upholsterers....and I'm needing a guy to do the headliner in my truck.  

[HurstRob]

Bad apples give our whole industry(remodeling) a bad name

Angies List

[hubcapsc]

I hear this over and over from other "normal" people I know.

I live in an unfinished shack in the woods I built myself. I've
never had one second of "contractor angst" 

-Mike

[Grandpa Bigbuck]

I understand your grief. Seems that every time I have some one do work for me it ends up being crap.  Never ever use Bath Fitters.  Several thousand dollars, 2 bathrooms, redone 4 times and still crap. Just one of many. 

[RainMaker]

Every person I've gotten out of Angie's list has been good.  It's where I'd start.

[cookiedough]

It's like that all over, especially in repairs of any kind.  Am going thru a snowblower service repair to get it running better.  All they did 2x's this winter is soak carb in cleaning solution and hope and pray is fixed putting carb back on for 95 bucks total.  Snowblower still runs like crap and is an Ariens and took it to an Ariens snowblower dealer/repair facility.

Yesterday called my credit card company and going to dispute all 95 bucks in service labor since won't run off idle and backfires and sputters and dies all since November couldn't use it the 2x's of snow this winter wouldn't blow snow much at all.  Got it in just yesterday to a Tecumseh authorized service repair place and hoping to get all my labor of 95 bucks back from first place since charged on my credit card and willing to spend another 100 bucks if it runs like it should or good enough to blow snow at least fairly decent for next winter.

Is frustrating though and know how you feel when you pay good money for something that you could do or less than you could do even.  If I wanted it screwed up worse than it is already, I can do that myself.   

[Gavin_Sons]

Exactly why I do all of my home repairs myself. That way you can't blame anyone but yourself if it turns out wrong.

[da prez]

I have talked to Angie's list contractors. Good and Bad. I usually do my own work. If you hire out , get a detailed contract of what is to be done. Ask friends and check the BBB. Even the best will sometimes screw up. Get a start and end time to the job.

                           da prez